THE first crop of Group 2-winning Australian sprinter Kuroshio (Exceed And Excel) arrived quietly and he did not make the return trip to England. Then those offspring reached the track, and the secret was out.

Kurious won the Group 3 Coral Charge Sprint and the Listed Scurry Stakes, both at Sandown, Dunkerron was runner-up in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes, Siculi was Group 3- and listed-placed in Italy, and Daphinia finished second in the Listed Marygate Stakes. Those talented performers came from a batch of just 23 British-conceived foals. What an eye-catching start

His Australian-conceived first crop features the prolific sprinter-miler Savatoxl, a 19-time winner whose tally includes the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap, Group 2 Schillaci Stakes, a Group 3 contest twice, and a listed race, and won more than Aus$1 million.

Kuroshio has also been represented by the speedy Australian juvenile Group 3 winner La Rocque and the listed winner Lincoln’s Kruz.

Now the grandson of Danehill (Danzig) has been back in Ireland for a couple of years, and 2023 saw his Michael O’Callaghan-trained two-year-old daughter Kairyu win the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes from Pearls And Rubies, while Panic Alarm was runner-up in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

Covering large books of mares since he returned to Ireland, Kuroshio will have no shortage of representatives on the racecourse in the years to come.

Bungle Inthejugle, sire of Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Winter Power, Outstrip who is responsible for the Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip, Excelebration who got Barney Roy, Helmet whose best son is Thunder Snow, Sidestep who sired the Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi, and Cotai Glory, the sire of Group 1 winner The Platinum Queen, are others by Exceed And Excel (Danehill) who have done well at stud.

Kuroshio is out a daughter of the US Grade 1-star November Snow (Storm Cat), but one of his Australian siblings, Group 3 juvenile winner Believe’N’Succeed (Exceed And Excel), will be familiar here because she is the dam of the ill-fated Anthony Van Dyck (by Galileo). He won the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at two, the Group 1 Derby at Epsom at three and Group 2 Prix Foy at four. He was runner-up in the Group 1 Irish Derby and Group 1 Caulfield Cup. His half-sister, Bounding (Lonhro), was a Group 1-winning sprint champion in New Zealand.

November Snow’s full-brother Scatmandu (Storm Cat) was a blacktype sire in North America and her string of stakes-winning descendants include the Breeders’ Cup-placed Grade 1 Carter Handicap scorer Morning Line (Tiznow), a blacktype sire who died young.

Race record

KUROSHIO (AUS), Bay or Brown horse, 2010. Won 3 races, value £210,001, at 2 and 3, from 5 furlongs to 5½ furlongs, viz Mitty’s Ian McEwen Trophy Stakes, Moonee Valley, Gr.2, Patinack Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g), Caulfield, Gr.3, Maribyrnong Trial, Flemington, L., also placed second in Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Preview (c&g), Caulfield, L. and third in Schweppes Schillaci Stakes, Caulfield, Gr.2 and Inglis Debutants Stakes, Caulfield, L.

At stud

Retired to stud in 2014, and sire of 133 winners, of 346 races, and £5,459,545, including SAVATOXL (AUS), KAIRYU (IRE), LA ROCQUE (AUS), KURIOUS (GB), LINCOLN’S KRUZ (AUS), Dunkerron (GB), Panic Alarm (IRE), Gozen (IRE), Siculi (GB), Makkem Lad (AUS), and Daphinia (GB).

Information

Stands at: Starfield Stud, Ballynagall, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, N91 K8Y9, Ireland.

Contact: Micheál Orlandi

Telephone: +353 83 8092299

Email: info@compasstallions.com

Web: www.compasstallions.com

Fee: €5,000